Quick Take
- Narration: Cory Cotton reads his own book with the same infectious energy that built the Dude Perfect brand, enthusiastic without being exhausting, direct in the way that works for motivational material aimed at younger audiences.
- Themes: Dreams and deliberate action, the mechanics of building an internet brand, faith and persistence
- Mood: Upbeat and practically optimistic, accessible across age groups
- Verdict: An honest account of how Dude Perfect went from a backyard to LeBron James, better for young listeners and aspiring brand builders than for seasoned entrepreneurs, but genuinely useful for the former.
I am not the target audience for Go Big, and I knew that going in. Cory Cotton and the Dude Perfect crew built their YouTube empire on trick shots and a kind of unironic enthusiasm that the platform has rarely seen at that scale, and this book is an extension of that brand voice into print, or rather, into audio, since Cotton narrates it himself. I listened to most of it on a Sunday afternoon drive, and I will say this: it does not waste your time, and it does not pretend to be something it isn’t. That counts for more than you might expect.
The book tells the story of how five roommates from Texas A&M started filming basketball trick shots in a backyard, posted them to YouTube, and found themselves a few years later filming in an airplane for a shot, walking the ESPYS red carpet, and meeting LeBron James in circumstances Cotton describes in some detail. These stories are genuinely entertaining when Cotton tells them. The meeting with LeBron, which came through a series of unlikely connections, reads like something from a movie, and that’s the point, the narrative insists that unlikely things happen when you pursue your passion with sustained discipline.
Our Take on Go Big
There are five practical principles organized through the book, corresponding to the Go Big philosophy that Cotton and his collaborators developed. He does not over-theorize them. They are action-oriented, faith-informed, and specific enough to be useful rather than vague enough to be meaningless, which is more than you can say for a substantial portion of the motivational literature in this space. One entrepreneur reviewer gave the business content three stars while awarding the Dude Perfect fan content five, which is an honest and useful calibration: this is not a business book in the sense that Seth Godin or Jim Collins write business books. It is a behind-the-scenes account of one specific business, with the principles extracted from that account.
What the book does particularly well is the texture of the early years, the decisions to keep going when the numbers were small, the role of their college friendship network in sustaining the project, the faith background that Cotton presents openly as central to the group’s identity without being preachy about it. The faith element is woven throughout but does not overwhelm the practical content.
Why Listen to Go Big
Cotton’s self-narration is the right call for this material. His voice on audio is the same as his on-screen presence, upbeat, direct, comfortable in the anecdote. The book is four hours and thirty-five minutes, which is exactly the right length: long enough to cover the ground properly, short enough that it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Reviewers who used it on road trips with young Dude Perfect fans noted that it held attention and sparked conversations, which is an outcome that many parenting books about inspiration fail to achieve. The audio format suits the material particularly well because the stories are meant to be told rather than read.
What to Watch For in Go Big
Published in 2011, this book captures Dude Perfect at an early stage of what became a much larger enterprise. The YouTube landscape it describes has changed significantly since then, and the specific tactical advice about building an online presence reflects the platform dynamics of the early 2010s rather than the current environment. For listeners primarily interested in the inspirational principles rather than the social media mechanics, this is not a problem. For listeners hoping to extract current platform strategy, the book will feel dated.
The faith perspective is genuine and present throughout. Cotton is not aggressive about it, but listeners who prefer their motivational content entirely secular should know that prayer and faith are referenced as real factors in the Dude Perfect story rather than left out for a broader audience.
Who Should Listen to Go Big
Best suited for younger listeners who are already Dude Perfect fans and want context for how the brand came to be, and for parents looking for motivational content they can share with children in the eight-to-fifteen age range. Also useful for aspiring content creators who want a specific origin story rather than generic advice, and for entrepreneurs who find case studies more useful than frameworks. Skip it if you are an experienced business builder looking for strategic depth, the content is inspirational rather than analytical, and that distinction matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Go Big suitable for the children who watch Dude Perfect’s YouTube videos, or is it pitched more toward adults?
The content is accessible to both. Multiple reviewers noted buying it specifically for young Dude Perfect fans aged ten and up, with the content proving more engaging than expected for adult listeners as well. The language and concepts are age-appropriate for upper elementary and middle school listeners.
Does the book include current advice on building a YouTube channel, or is the social media content dated?
Published in 2011, the book’s platform-specific content reflects the early YouTube landscape rather than current conditions. The five core principles are framed as generally applicable, but the specific tactics around YouTube growth and online brand building are from a significantly different era.
How prominent is the faith content in Go Big, is it central or occasional?
Faith is a consistent thread throughout the book rather than an isolated section. Cotton and the Dude Perfect crew are open about the role of prayer and Christian faith in their story. It is not preachy, but it is genuine and recurring rather than a brief mention.
Is this a narration Cory Cotton recorded himself, and does it work for audio?
Yes, Cotton narrates his own book, and the format suits him well. His delivery is natural and energetic, matching the tone of the content without feeling like a performance. Listeners who know his on-screen presence will recognize the same voice in the narration.
